by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 9, 2015
Already having recalled more vehicles for defective Takata airbags than any other manufacturer, Honda Motor Co. is adding another 4.5 million vehicles to its global tally, it announced today. More than a third of those vehicles were sold in Japan, according to Honda,...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 8, 2015
Like Mark Twain, reports of the demise of the manual transmission may be premature. But it’s increasingly looking like the stick shift is headed for life support, and BMW’s performance M sub-brand is reportedly ready to pull the plug. The head of BMW M told Britain’s...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 8, 2015
Forget making vases, bracelets and other trinkets, Arizona-based Local Motors plans to transform the traditional automotive world with the launch of a 3D printed car next year. The company plans to build two versions of the ReLoad Redacted using a design that was...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 8, 2015
Step aside, Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Audi, there’s a new king-of-the-hill. Make that two of them, Korean siblings Kia and Hyundai together nudging aside European manufacturers with the high-score in the new Vehicle Satisfaction Awards. The big Kia K900, a Korean...
by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 8, 2015
In a preview of the car wars of the future, an alliance of automakers is asking the Federal Communications Commission to reject a proposal from Qualcomm, Inc. allowing certain unlicensed wireless devices to operate in the portion of the wireless spectrum that has been...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 8, 2015
After 20 days in a Tokyo jail, former Toyota Motor Corp. global communications chief Julie Hamp was released by Japanese prosecutors Wednesday without being charged for allegedly importing the narcotic painkiller oxycodone without official permission. While the...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 7, 2015
While we Americans have only had access to the little Fiat 500 since the 2012 model-year, it’s been around the block for awhile – getting only modest changes since its European introduction in 2007. Considering the speed with which vehicles are being refreshed these...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 7, 2015
Despite recent struggles in the market, battery-electric vehicles are going “mainstream ,” or so says Carlos Ghosn, CEO of the Renault-Nissan Alliance – which just happens to produce the world’s best-selling EV, the Nissan Leaf. That optimism might not be shared by...
by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 7, 2015
With the Fourth of July holiday in the rear-view mirror, motorists across the United States continue to pay, on average, less than $3 per gallon on summer road trips, according to AAA. AAA said motorists paid the lowest price at the pump for Independence Day travel...
by Paul A. Eisenstein | Jul 7, 2015
(This story has been updated to include mention of the U.S. ambassador to Japan’s involvement in the Hamp case.) Japanese authorities are expected to release Julie Hamp, the 55-year-old American who until last week had served as Toyota Motor Co.’s global...
by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 7, 2015
Despite worries over a substantial drop of the Chinese stock market and new competition from domestic brands, General Motors and its joint ventures reported record retail sales of 1,719,202 vehicles during the first six months of the year in China. Demand was up 4.4%...
by Joseph Szczesny | Jul 7, 2015
Courtesy of low gas prices, U.S. consumers continue to plunk down cash for trucks and utility vehicles in increasing numbers over more fuel efficient small cars, and in the process, drive down the average fuel economy of vehicles in this country. The gas mileage...
